1968: Just two years after the Monkees proved you could create a popular rock band artificially, CBS debuts the Saturday morning show The Archies, based on the popular, long-running comic book characters.
The idea was to avoid previous problems that arose when the Monkees actually demanded more control over their records. By using cartoon characters, musical producer Don Kirshner guaranteed he’d never face another mutiny in the recording studio.
Of course, people are still listening to the Monkees' music. The Archies - not so much.
